Herbs, perennial, stoloniferous; stolons soft, spongy, flexible when dried, 2-8(-15) cm, bearing tubers (3-)6-11 mm diam. Culms trigonous, 15-60 (-100) cm × 0.6-3.4 mm, glabrous. Leaves 3-7, flat to V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (6-)20-40(-80) cm × 2-4 (-6.5) mm. Inflorescences: spikes broadly ellipsoid to ovoid or hemispheric, (12-)18-30 × (12-)18-35 mm; rachis 4-17 mm; rays 4-10, (0.3-)2-12 cm; bracts (3-)4-5(-7), ± horizontal to ascending at 45(-75)°, V-shaped to flanged V-shaped, (1.5-)5-30 cm × 0.5-4 mm; rachilla persistent, wings hyaline, 0.3-0.5 mm wide. Spikelets (3-)10-20(-28), divaricate or ascending, yellowish brown to dark brown, linear to linear-lanceoloid, compressed-quadrangular, (5-)10-20(-55) × (1.2-)1.4-2(-3) mm; floral scales persistent, 6-34, spreading or appressed, ovate-lanceolate, laterally 7-9-ribbed, laterally yellowish brown to dark brown medially brownish, reddish, or greenish, ovate, or ovate-deltate, medially 3-ribbed, 1.8-2.7(-3.4) × (1-)1.5-1.8(-2.4) mm, apex acute or sub-acute. Flowers: anthers (1-)1.2-1.5(-2.1) mm; styles (0.7-)1-1.2(-2.2) mm; stigmas (1.2-)1.8-2.3(-4) mm. Achenes (seldom maturing) brown, sessile, ellipsoid, (1.1-)1.3-1.5(-1.6) × 0.3-0.6(-0.8) mm, apex obtuse, surfaces puncticulate. Cyperus esculentus is a widespread and polymorphic species. Although seven varieties have been recognized (G. Kükenthal (1935-1936), recent studies based primarily on spikelet features provided support for four varieties (P. Schippers et al. 1995). Cyperus esculentus var. esculentus is restricted to the Old World.